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Searching for Solutions: Historic neighborhoods on the rebound thanks to Kansas City investments

The city invested in culturally important sites and neighborhoods.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Private and public investments are not only helping turn Kansas City around, it's also helping bring historic neighborhoods back to life.

It's leading to not only revitalization, but also jobs, and tourism. 5 On Your Side traveled to Kansas City's 18th and Vine district to observe what in other cities might help St. Louis.

They say music molds memories.

"So many things have been birthed from just this,” Kansas City native Christopher Nickens said while playing his saxophone in the historic 18th and Vine neighborhood.

This part of the city left its footprint on jazz music back in the 1930s and 40s.

It's home to the American Jazz Museum, which attracts tourists from all over the world seven days a week. This year, city government is providing $760,000 to keep the museum open.

In 1991, the neighboring community that housed some 30 buildings was listed on the National Register of Historic places.

"As a kid, I remember doing book reports and seeing movies and hearing stories about 18th and Vine,” said Joey Thomas, owner of 180V Barber Salon.

As he grew older, Thomas noticed the community started to change.

"Ten years ago, a lot of blight, a lot of uncertainties in regard to what direction the district was going in. A lot of lack of leadership…I've seen businesses come and go,” he recalls.

In 2022, Kansas launched the Rebuild KC Grant, providing $22 million for communities to take back their neighborhoods. This year, that energy continued with another $15 million investment from the city.

"We're saying we're not going to turn our back anymore. We’re going to make sure we’re invested in every part of the community,” Mayor Quinton Lucas told 5 On Your Side.

The private sector is also joining in as new apartments dot the landscape.

As passers-by take a stroll through the historic community, they can’t help but notice a pattern of signs of intentional rebirth.

There are plans to breathe new life into a former city workhouse castle, built in 1897. A developer wants to bring a boutique hotel and single-family homes here.

Across the street, crews were assembling for the grand opening of The Spot. It's not your average cafe.

"It's a culinary workforce development program, essentially a social venture…I saw this concept in Seattle,” said Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant.

She decided to bring it to her hometown. "This would be the east side of Kansas City, Missouri. I think the median income is $18,500 to $27,000."

So the cafe - housed in a former city utility building - is allowing people who live there to get job skills through a 16-week training program called Prospect KC. About $500,000 in city funding supports it.

And then there's The Negro Leagues, which started in this same community in 1920, giving Black baseball players an opportunity to play professionally.

"This was a cultural crossroads in its heyday, 18th and vine where jazz and baseball intersected,” said Kiona Sinks with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Now the museum is looking to expand its 10,000-square-foot space into a 30,000-square-foot location down the road -- staying in the heart of where it all started.

"You think about taking advantage of this global opportunity for our city and being able to introduce worldwide, people who will be flying into our brand new airport across the world and experiencing KC's bbq, the love of sports, soccer, but also the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum,” she said with enthusiasm.

Expansion, investment, and keeping the history alive.

"I think it helps us re-define what people may think about Kansas City…We get a lot of Dorothy and Toto jokes and all of that. Whereas now they're seeing this is a dynamic place with outstanding facilities, businesses, diversity and growth,” Mayor Lucas added.

Last year Kansas City also provided more than $3 million for neighbors to fix up their homes and another $3 million for development across the city. Next, the city will use ARPA funds for community violence intervention and job training for those without work.

Kathy Nelson, the head of Visit KC, says the city is purposeful about acknowledging where it's been and intentional about where it's going.

"We think about the next 12 months and the next 12 years,” Nelson said.

Read stories from Indianapolis and Detroit here.

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